World Wide Woozle episode #647

Hello and welcome back.

I've been to Sydney and survived. It's a big, messy city and I've never really liked it. Whilst it was a work trip that included a 12 hour day, I amused myself in a couple of ways. I got to walk out past the NSW Art Museum to Mrs Macquarie's Chair. Parks in the middle of cities are such a blessing. I saw three large Navy ships alongside at Garden Island as well as the sun setting over the Opera House. On top of that I managed to knock myself out at about 0200hrs on Tuesday as I attempted to unplug the fridge in the hotel room. Fun times. I was glad to get on the pencil with wings that masquerades as an aeroplane, to come home.

Weddings Parties Anything - Taylor Square - https://youtu.be/R4aD2OH3UsI

I went to a funeral this week, online. It's becoming a habit. This one was for my brother's father-in-law. What was wonderful, in a sad situation, was the way that sincerely warm and affectionate stories were told about David. My young nephew spoke as well and he was fabulous.

The Proclaimers - I'd Ask The Questions - https://youtu.be/vSj8udGUD1k

Gig rehearsals are every night at my house just now. The neighbours haven't complained yet. Since it's just me and a guitar I think I'm safe. Pencil Sunday May 25th into your diaries and come to Wollongong to see me supporting my mate George on his Maliyan Tour 2025. I've decided to throw caution to the wind and play whatever I want to rather than worrying too much about what people will think. I'm guessing that almost no-one there will know me and therefore I can do what I want and retreat back into anonymity. On the "maybe" list at the moment are songs from Elton John, George Formby, Perry Como, Miley Cyrus, George Huitker, Ugly Kid Joe, and The Mark of Cain. I'll throw a couple of originals in there too.

The Mark of Cain - Degenerate Boy - https://youtu.be/bAc6E6dFfzM

My brother really made my day recently by reflecting that it was a good thing to hear about people who really don't have their mental health sorted out. Too often all we get are stories of those who have undoubtedly struggled but are now (seemingly) living their best lives along with a regimen of beauty treatments, retreats and a Garth Brooks Juice Diet. Life is messy and this bit of mine is as well. The drugs I was on may have addressed some of the red flag issues but they made me hungry and unable to get decent sleep. I realised that I was using so much energy fighting the hunger issue when my weekly grocery bill was almost half what it normally is. So, under doctor's orders, I've tapered off the old medication, had a couple of decent night's sleep, and I have new stuff to try. Will they make me tired, happy, grumpy, or something else!? It's a journey.

John Farnham - Pressure Down (live) - https://youtu.be/t9u6KLfCFxQ

The calendar tells me that I'm a year older. I think I'm feeling every one of my 54 years and 2 days at the moment. I'm taking today off training as I think I MAY have overdone it in the past week or so. The sleepless night, sore tummy and pounding headache are a reasonable indication I suppose. I don't feel old but, as I am regularly reminded by friends, family, doctors and the psychologist, I could probably dial it back just a little bit.

Kacey Musgraves - Follow Your Arrow - https://youtu.be/kQ8xqyoZXCc

A huge thank you all for the birthday wishes, and especially to Toddo and Suzy for organising the Northside Velo crew to surprise me on Friday morning. As someone who lives alone, and is prone to acting a bit like a hermit, I really appreciated everyone who reached out.

Baby Animals - One Word (live) - https://youtu.be/mVpDCsch7mU

That'll do. Although I'm going to do my level best to avoid anything more energetic than a gentle stroll around the block, I've got music to listen to and a poetry course to be cracking on with.

Keep smiling y'all,
The Woozle

"They try to tell us we don't belong
That's all right, we're millions strong
This is my music, it makes me proud
These are my people and this is my crowd..."

KISS, Crazy, Crazy Nights, 1987.

World Wide Woozle episode #646

Welcome back. An even bigger welcome back to those that read the last episode and lived to tell the tale. I'll try to make this one a bit shorter.

First up, happy birthday to my great mate Bing. He celebrated in style by playing two gigs in two days. I was fortunate enough to be in the crowd for last night's boogie experience at Huitker Studios in downtown Curtin. Seeing George play all his own compositions is just fabulous. Any mug can play other people's songs but to put it all out there on the line takes a special kind of drive and determination. In true Bing spirit, the gig went from bliss to quiet rage.

George Huitker - What Makes It Rain - https://youtu.be/ateArN2kZtU

Last time around I revealed my mad plan to listen to all of my CDs. Well, I'm happy to report that it's going quite well. They are on the shelves in sort of a logical order and I'm playing them as they are stacked. This does mean that some bands who have a lot of albums get their entire discography aired in order. That's fun as I can reflect on how they have developed (or not). I've also already unearthed some magnificent tracks that I had long forgotten about.

Steven Winwood - While You See A Chance - https://youtu.be/0j6g_uUhH2c

Last night I found myself feeling a little blue. It was nothing major but I knew that I needed cheering up and to drag myself out of the dumps. This short clip never fails...

Tommy Tiernan - Accent and Emergency - https://youtu.be/u3MG1iIZZjQ

I also listened to three Tommy Emmanuel albums. I'll tell you that cueing them up one after another isn't the best idea. I got a bit tired of the whole atmospheric soundscape thing at a few points. But then there's a bluegrass album cut direct to disc which is truly magnificent. And of course this reminder that Tommy can rock out with the best of them.

Tommy Emmanuel - Stevie's Blues - https://youtu.be/DXpdNHZJgZI

You'd think I was rediscovering a whole lot of music and I suppose I am. This one came up just before John Mellencamp's song, Justice and Independence.

Ben Harper - Glory & Consequence - https://youtu.be/qHgaJ5UI90M

I spent a few days last week working at the Avalon Airshow which is near Geelong in Victoria. Aeroplanes have never really excited me but I have to admit that I saw some pretty neat stuff. I think my favourite was a toss up between taking a virtual reality trip in an autonomous air taxi and seeing the military working dogs in action. Sadly, I have read that there was a nasty crash at the show on Friday. 

Finally, it would be remiss of me not to mention my state of mind following on from my last episode. The short version is that things are improving and I'm following the guidance of the health professionals. It'll take time but things aren't getting any worse!

Jason Isbell - Anxiety (solo, live) - https://youtu.be/JwW_zr2uMiE

Rock on,

The Woozle

"I can't remember when I felt this lost

Took a wrong turn trying to carry this cross
Why'd I have to go and get blessed with a curse
I'm chasing death or glory, whichever comes first..."

John Moreland, Nobody Gives A Damn About Songs Anymore, 2013

World Wide Woozle episode #645

Hi everyone,

This episode has two parts. The part about music and random stuff is first. Part two, which was written first, is about my mental health and the last few weeks. I understand that some of you won't want to read part two for any number of reasons. That's ok; it's something that flowed once I started writing and maybe the feeling of catharsis is a good thing.

Part 1

Since I last wrote I've been to Melbourne for a couple of days. I saw Green Day with Dave Dubya, went to lunch and a bookshop with my Dad, caught up with Angus and Em, visited a collectables shop, rode the trams, and went to some record shops. I was busy, very busy, and at the time I needed to be. 

Skyhook - This Is My City - https://youtu.be/Yp8BsPVT5MU

You can read any number of reviews about the Green Day concert but to me it was exactly as I thought it should have been. 60,000 people having a wonderful time singing, dancing and jumping along to a great band. I think the fact that the band themselves were clearly having a ball really added to the experience. For my money, AFI were the wrong band for the support slot. They are NOT a bad band but all that angsty posing really didn't fit with the energy of the local support band, Private Function, or the pop-punk of Green Day. 

Green Day - She's A Rebel - https://youtu.be/fo1d5LZGO98

I like visiting Melbourne but it's too big for me to be there for a long time. Since about 2015, I've always visited St Paul's Cathedral (opposite Flinders Street Station) whenever I'm in town. I like to sit on a pew for about 15 minutes and think. It's almost meditation, sometimes it's prayer, sometimes reflection. I always feel at peace there. I like riding the trams as well. Since my trip to the USA I've become more comfortable with the fact that I don't know quite where I'm going and I may get ever so slightly lost. The chance discoveries of cool coffee shops, the oases of urban parks, and the simple act of wandering around a suburb is usually good fun. People watching can be a hoot as well.

Paul Kelly - Leaps and Bounds - https://youtu.be/FtzYqgiuSDo

I did manage to get a couple of albums that had either been hard to find online or too expensive. I wrote a while ago about Darkthrone's latest long player, It Beckons Us All, and it was the album I was most pleased to find. Thank you Heartland Records. Darkthrone are one of the seminal Scandinavian Dark Metal bands but this one is quite different. Imagine the heaviest metal mixed in with ambient mood music, prog rock and maybe a Gregorian chant and you might get an idea of how it sounds. 

Darkthrone - The Lone Pines Of The Lost Planet - https://youtu.be/w3seDas5sSc

For the first time ever I bought a CD I already own. Curses! As a result, I have embarked on a quest to catalogue all that I have. I estimate there's about 1100 CDs. Then there's all the LPs and cassettes. Fortunately the Discogs app allows you to scan barcodes using the camera on your phone. I don't like to do things in half measures so as well as cataloguing them I am listening to every album in its entirety. This could take a while. 

Saint Etienne - Lost In The Library - https://youtu.be/1FgSXsrb0io

A while ago I had a great stereo receiver and turntable. They'd belonged to my parents who I assume bought them when we lived in Singapore in the early to mid 1970s. The receiver was a big, heavy, glorious Sansui 771 and the turntable was a lovely Akai AP-005 fully automatic model. Sadly, I gave them away at a time when I gave away a lot of stuff thinking that I was doing a good thing. In fairness, a lot of the stuff did need to go but I can see now that I went a bit over the top and wasn't thinking right. I've had a groovy, modern, Audio Technica turntable for a few years now but for a while I've really wanted to replace it with something old school. Well, after saving up for quite a long time, I finally took action and thanks to a referral from my great mate Steve, I am now the proud owner of a mid-1980s Dual 500 player. After listening to a few vintage turntables that Steve's mate had up for sale I brought the Dual home. It sounds just wonderful. Woo hoo!!

Leo Sayer - Giving It All Away (live) - https://youtu.be/F_0ZAe8aAok

Oh, and while I am no poet, I've decided that instead of hiding that part of my life in a notebook and the Notes app on my phone, that I'll post some stuff in the blog. The first one I've posted is available here right now.

I've been doing more and more reading over the last few months. I tend to stick to non-fiction or relatively easy to read fiction. Non-fiction is a winner because I don't have to remember a complicated plot line and therefore end up getting frustrated when I don't remember half the characters or essential parts of the plot. When it comes to fiction, I've been reading some Australian detective stuff which has been excellent. I'm able to picture the characters and places so I think the author must be doing something right! The other thing I realised is that I was avoiding reading physical paper books because my eyesight was a bit off. I now have groovy new reading glasses.

Belle and Sebastian - Wrapped Up In Books - https://youtu.be/iBU-MxydbWQ

The other thing I have been avoiding a bit has been cycling. You wouldn't realise it immediately but I know I have been. The reason is my back. For ages I've needed to do a LOT of stretching and core work to keep it relatively healthy. My new bike has been a complete revelation in this respect. I can ride for a few hours, hop off and not be stiff and sore. I realised that my commuting bike also has me crouched over a bit too much so I'll be getting rid of it and sticking with the new one only. This weekend I've had two solid rides. My back feels great and my general outlook is much improved as a direct result. Yes, I still need to keep some core work going but hopefully not quite so much.

Sister Rosetta Tharpe - Strange Things Happening Every Day - https://youtu.be/-88l-M0KgkI

Finally, after a VERY long wait, the 30th anniversary version of Roxette's album, Crash! Boom! Bang!, has arrived. I ordered it from what I thought was an Australian seller but it turned out to be a front for a UK based mob. I waited over a month and I was starting to think that I'd blown my dough! All of the demo versions are the winner here. Per Gessle is a great writer of pop/rock songs who loves classic guitars. Perhaps this is one for the serious fans only but I'll be playing it over and over!

Roxette - Crash! Boom! Bang! (T & A Demo - May 6, 1993) - https://youtu.be/1oMP9uXJyvY

Finally, I may have mentioned that I have a support slot coming up at a gig towards the end of May. So I'm busy choosing songs to play at that. Make sure you follow George's FB page for details of his world tour of Australia. He'll be appearing here, there and everywhere. Not to mention that he has new CDs on the way and some groovy tour merch. Please support him if you can.

Sorry that this bit was long; but you get value for money here at the World Wide Woozle.

Part 2

When I started writing, the truth was that I wasn't quite sure what to write about. This just poured out so it may be a bit of a stream of consciousness.

Many of you will be aware that I had a rather unpleasant mental health episode a few weeks ago. It came out of the blue and was the worst incident I've ever had. Of course, with hindsight, I can see the warning signs. Fortunately I had a support plan in my head and amazing people that looked after me until I was OK to be in charge of myself again. Now I'm back on medication for the first time in a few years and I have a new psychologist to work with. The psych says that I need to be kind to myself. That's easier said than done but I'll give it a red hot go.

Green Day - Basket Case - https://youtu.be/NUTGr5t3MoY

No-one ever knows what to say in situations like this, so don't worry. You don't need to say anything. I'm doing all I can to take control of my brain and I have help.

The Screaming Jets - Helping Hand (COVID ISO session) - https://youtu.be/BuFPajGugOg

I had some anti-depressants back in 2019 and I think I finished with them towards the end of 2020. In retrospect I don't really know if they worked or not. At the time I thought that they were helping me to think clearly and stopping my brain flooding my consciousness with crazy and unhelpful ideas. This time around the effect is different so far. They make me tired, sometimes spaced out and my balance has been a little off. I get headspins. And then there's the dreams! Even when I've been really unwell or unhappy in the past I've been a great sleeper. It's my super power! I can sleep almost anywhere and at any time. Having weird and crazy dreams, not nightmares, is no fun at all and I hope it stops soon. It's too soon to know if the medication is making me feel 'better' but I guess my mood is relatively stable. I know I have to be patient but I'm not. The medication is also making me hungry and, as I'm sure you can guess, I am finding that to be a particularly difficult thing to manage. Every single night I have to fight the urge not to take them.

The Wombats - Anti-D - https://youtu.be/ti1W7Zu8j9k

The psych also told me that I am really good at minimising things or making it sound as if they aren't particularly significant. What I'll do is talk with her about some very serious stuff and then end that part of the conversation with, "anyway", and move on. I have to work on this as it's probably something I've done for a very long time. Therapy is confronting. 

Soul Asylum - Misery - https://youtu.be/GLQ2TIul8pI

I guess the other thing to be aware of for anyone still reading, is that sometimes I really struggle to respond to texts, messages and emails. I'm not ignoring you, and it isn't that I can't be bothered. The truth is that sometimes I just can't bring myself to type anything. I'll keep working on that too.

I think that's enough. If you want to ask me about this stuff that's ok. But don't feel that you have to.

One final thing; none of this is anyone's fault.

Keep smiling y'all,

The Woozle

"My heart was broken, my heart was broken,
Sorrow, sorrow, sorrow, sorrow..."

The Proclaimers, Sunshine on Leith, 1988

Tired - 11 March 2025

Today I am tired.
More tired than a tired thing.
The voices in my head are noisy.
They want me to scream and snore all at once.
Another hour telling my life's story to a psych.
The chance of a new beginning.
Maybe it's another reboot.
I'd prefer an upgrade rather than a patch.
The drugs make me light headed.
The drugs make me hungry.
The drugs make me tired.
The drugs might give me clarity.
Might.
Today I am tired.

World Wide Woozle episode #644

Hello and welcome back.

During the week I posted the second episode in my series about albums that matter to me. Please feel free to check it out. Episode 3 is almost written as well.

I've always enjoyed writing, other than when it is for university type stuff. I'm conscious that those of you better educated can no doubt pick holes in my grammar and crazy use of punctuation. The way I try to write is the way I'd have a conversation rather than an academic paper. I'm hoping to never need the Harvard Referencing System ever again. I'm scarred by my experience with an Australian university who failed me in a Masters level unit as a result of my content and referencing in an essay that I had asked multiple times for assistance with. Thanks to that university for making me unwell. Enough of that. Let's rock!

Spotify playlist for this episode.

Black Sabbath, all four original members, are getting together for a final gig in Birmingham on July 5th. Ticket prices are predictably eye watering but the lineup is extensive and profits go to charity. Sadly it seems that Ozzy can't walk any more as a result of Parkinson's Disease. Black Sabbath have been around in one form or another since 1968 and are, of course, a seminal act in the history of heavy music.

Black Sabbath - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath - https://youtu.be/mfTpjrzas5E

A while ago I watched the Amazon TV series, Daisy Jones & The Six. I really enjoyed it and it's well worth your time. I'm currently reading the book that the series is based on and I'm not all that impressed. Perhaps I'm spoiled by having seen the dramatisation but I'm finding it quite dry. The concept is great and obviously translated to TV well but the book seems like a by the numbers story of a rock and roll band in the seventies. It's far from bad and I will finish the book but I'd be loath to recommend it.

Daisy Jones & The Six - Let Me Down Easy - https://youtu.be/Xbt1tOadwHA

A couple of weeks ago I headed to the cinema to see the latest Bob Dylan biopic, A Complete Unknown. Five anorak wearing old blokes, plus me, had the theatre to ourselves and it was even cheap Tuesday! I thought the film was very well made and I enjoyed the fact that most of the songs in the movie weren't shortened or cut off. The highlight for me was Edward Norton playing Pete Seeger. The physical and vocal resemblance to the iconic American folk artist was astounding. The film is worth it for that alone. Monica Barbaro, as Joan Baez, was super as well. I read that she spent around five months learning to sing and play the guitar. The music in the film isn't mimed. Monica also had to wear fake teeth and sing at the same time! And while Timothée Chalamet is excellent as Bob Dylan, he ends up looking more like Billie Joe Armstrong from Green Day. I found the story compelling and time flew by. Hearing those songs on a big theatre sound system was a treat as well. Did I learn anything as well as having a good time? Yes I did; Bob Dylan wasn't a very nice man. 

Monica Barbaro and Timothée Chalamet  - It Ain't Me, Babe - https://youtu.be/NSGxM9bs3uY

DJ DaveDubya sends me good stuff. I like jazz almost as much as I like opera and that's not much at all. The next track however, is very groovy (baby). I love the way that they have two drummers to play quite separate parts of what would be a single kit. These are serious musos.

Vulfpeck - Deantown - https://youtu.be/le0BLAEO93g

My brother also sends me excellent music recommendations. Given that we haven't lived in the same house since I was 16, I am very interested that his Spotify generated discovery playlist is often quite similar to mine. The next song that he recommended reminds me a lot of Sleaford Mods in the best possible way. Listen to the lyrics. 

dan le sac Vs Scroobius Pip - Thou Shalt Always Kill - https://youtu.be/CWrMGXwhFLk

On Wednesday I had a really bad day. I had felt it coming but until it hit I was essentially powerless to stop it. It wasn't one particular thing that triggered it, rather a whole lot of smaller things that piled on top of one another and hit me hard. I took myself home from work at lunchtime as that gave me about 30 minutes to stare out the tram window whilst listening to good tunes. After finishing work at home I headed to one of my favourite places for a long walk in the bush. More and more I wonder if I'm meant to be in cities at all for any longer than is absolutely necessary?

Mulligan's Flat, ACT. 13 Feb 2025.

I think that's enough for this time around. Hugs to all those who look after me even when I don't behave all that well! I'll be keeping a bit to myself for a few days.

Keep smiling,

The Woozle

"Talk about things that nobody cares

Wearing other things that nobody wears
You're calling my name but I got to make clear
I can't say baby where I'll be in a year..."

Aerosmith, Sweet Emotion, 1975.

World Wide Woozle - Albums that matter episode #2

Welcome back to my series about albums that matter to me. If you missed it, the first episode is available online at this link: episode 1. At the time of writing sixty brave souls have had a look; thank you all.

Album #2: Jason Isbell - Southeastern (2013)

In 2013 Jason Isbell released what I regard to be one of the best albums of all time. Southeastern is a collection of songs of such strength and depth that any songwriter could not fail to be impressed. Although Isbell would go on to win six Grammy Awards for subsequent work, this album is the one that I love. It's cliched to call it lightning in a bottle but that's what Jason and producer Dave Cobb achieved.

I became aware of this album via my good mate George. He insisted that I listen to it and gently cajoled me into taking more than a passing interest. In the end, as part of George's band, I played a gig where we performed Southeastern in its entirety.

We're here to talk about why I regard this album as important to me. I can assure you, after seeing Jason play live in 2018 and being part of a crowd singing along to every song, that his music is important to others.

Firstly, Southeastern is a reminder of a band I was once in. Junk Sculpture was around long before my involvement as well as after I was done. We played many special shows, most notably for me up in Tingha and surrounds. I had to work hard to learn every song on Southeastern but it was never a chore. I was blessed with bandmates who were (and remain) much better musicians than me. That said, they encouraged me and, with kindness, made me improve markedly. The thought of that relationship, or was it a brotherhood, still fills me with good vibes. The songs may sound simple in places but to be relatively faithful to them takes effort and a deep respect for the music.

When we played the Southeastern gig in 2015 it was at a beautiful old church outside Canberra. The venue was great, the crowd appreciative and the band was in a state of flow. I was there in body but not in spirit that day. I had learned the songs so well that it was autopilot. This was during the week Zoë was unaccounted for after Tropical Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu. I remember not wanting to go to the gig but I knew there were others counting on me. So I don't remember much about the show other than saying a few words to the man upstairs whilst in the church on the off chance that he might be listening. It would be another few days before we got news that Zoë was OK. So, Southeastern takes me back to that time for both good and not so happy reasons.

The final reason that I think this album is important is that I keep coming back to it for inspiration. Whether it's the elegant fingerpicking on some tracks, the ripping solos on others or the sublime turns of phrase, this is an album I listen to very regularly. In the lyrics I am struck by Isbell's use of what he might see as common words. In particular I mean place names and medications that have a musical quality. Have you heard a song with Klonopin or Pedialyte mentioned before? I had to look them up. And places like Ybor City and Fond du Lac. Not only has my knowledge of USA geography improved, but it's made me wonder that whilst I might think that place names local to me don't belong in songs because they sound silly, perhaps they wouldn't to others.

There is now a tenth anniversary edition of the album that includes demo tracks as well as a live set. It's all killer and no filler. The demo versions in particular reveal Isbell's depth of talent.

 

I've been listening to the album whilst writing all of this down and trying to select a track to play for you all. Although I have my favourites, choosing one or two is a hard task. I've decided to select two. The first is the one I enjoyed playing the most. Guitarists love playing, loud, in the keys of E and A. Electric guitars, rock and roll music and those keys just work well together. Super 8 challenged me as it's in C (I think). I don't play slide guitar but approximating the cool guitar licks is heaps of fun. Recently, whilst watching live footage of the band, I have realised that there is a better than average chance that it's played in an open tuning (where the guitar is tuned to a chord). Maybe I need to try that but regular tuning is hard enough!

Jason Isbell - Super 8 - https://youtu.be/kydK3NvFvvg

The other song I'd like to recommend is Songs That She Sang In The Shower. It's not one of the 'hits' but I really like the guitar riff. It swings along in a way that I found hard to nail down for a while but when I stopped counting and started feeling the beat I got it. It also includes one of my favourite lyrics, "and the frost on the ground probably envies the frost on the trees". Sure, this is a sad song but it's achingly beautiful to my ears.

Jason Isbell - Songs That She Sang In The Shower - https://youtu.be/W8qNgGh-x9M

In one of Jason's songs on a subsequent album the lyric is, "I've sung enough about myself". It's an interesting choice of words. Southeastern is his post-rehab album but whilst the themes may reflect this, the majority of the songs aren't about him. Isbell has that knack of telling a story about someone else and making it sound personal.

Tune in next time for a trip back to 1988.

Thanks for reading this,

The Woozle

World Wide Woozle episode #643

Hello radio fans, music lovers, stalkers and legends.

Here we are again to check out some tunes, catch up on the trivial goings on in my life, and maybe learn a thing or two. Let's rock.

Before we go further, the Spotify playlist for this episode is available by clicking here.

Vintage Trouble - Get It On  (Ike & Tina cover, live) - https://youtu.be/eipXthVqu_4

I heard the next song for the first time today. Of course some of you will know all about Gordon Lightfoot but I don't. I really like the storytelling, his laid back voice and the way this reminds me a bit of Warren Zevon. Sundown was a number one hit in 1974.

Gordon Lightfoot - Sundown - https://youtu.be/1IBdZ645S-o

I was on the Bandcamp website today tracking down a CD I've ordered that is yet to arrive. Whilst I was looking around trying to work out how to sort this out I stumbled across a whole lot of curated lists of songs. These aren't just a list; they are articles that talk about the songs and artists. This is completely my thing and I spent my lunchtime lost in a world of 70s French disco, 90s Cascadian psychedelia, and the best metal songs of January. Man oh man, this is cool!

Cerrone - Love in C Minor - https://youtu.be/TRiIiPnJvNc?si=WixLI7NEeRoaOw8n&t=80

Keeping it funky, but much closer to home, the next song is sure to have you tapping your foot if not up and dancing around your lounge room. I'm not sure I expected to hear an eight piece funk band from Arnhem Land but here it is. Great song, great clip and more to explore. If you like bands like Songhoy Blues or Tinariwen then you'll love this; guaranteed.

Andrew Gurruwiwi Band - Yaa Djamarrkuḻi - https://youtu.be/HpF4IzzTiU8

Last weekend Toddo and I headed to Geelong to participate in the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Ride. Not the pro race mind you, we let them have that to themselves. Overall we covered 140km of big hills, glorious coastlines, and horrendous headwinds. All done mostly with smiles on our faces. It was a top few days away with the chance to catch up with members of both of our families as well as our good mate Yol in Albury. The weekend was also my last ride on my faithful red racing bike. It's gone to Angus now who will no doubt set speed records on it. Props to the Oppy at North Geelong for an excellent feed on Friday night.

Iron City Houserockers - Have A Good TIme (But Get Out Alive) - https://youtu.be/L3B7gGs5FyE

Here's another track that the YouTube algorithm got oh so right when it popped this into my feed. Joe Holmes was Ozzy's guitar player for a number of years and his heavy music pedigree is more than solid. Maybe this song was recommended as a result of me listening to a few Soundgarden and Alice In Chains tracks. Whatever the reason, it works for me. I've listened to Joe's 2024 album, Farmikos, quite a bit in the last few days.

Joe Holmes - The Deadfall - https://youtu.be/kR0paYEld-4

Noting that the Led Zeppelin movie is to be released in cinemas very shortly, I thought it was time to go back and listen to them before heading to the theatre. Led Zeppelin was the first CD boxset I ever bought. It was released at the end of 1990 and I remember being hugely excited to get it. Remastering and packaging like this is the norm now but it wasn't then. I'm not a massive fan but they are definitely cool as well as being important.

Led Zeppelin - Over The Hills And Far Away - https://youtu.be/Am9gu4wkY9E

The other thing I want to talk about is my guitars. They've sat, unloved, in my house for quite a while now. I just haven't felt like playing for such a long time. Over the past few weeks I've been considering how to get enthused about making my own music but I've not had any luck. Watch out though because I now have something to aim for. Watch this space to hear about my performing live later in the year. I better build some calluses and remember how to play. Fortunately I've been singing in the car!

Billy Bragg - A New England (live) - https://youtu.be/kl9DxOmSo-I

Keep an eye out for Albums That Matter #2, It's not far off being complete. 

That's all folks. Thanks for reading and listening.

The Woozle

"When you're young, you can fly
But we trip on clouds 'cause we get too high
We grow up, and then it's gone
Oh God only knows what we'll become..."

The Band Perry, Don't Let Me Be Lonely, 2013.